Code Your Own Flappy Bird

Code.org released a tutorial that lets you make your own Flappy Bird game in just 20 minutes.

Flappy Bird just keeps on flying. Code.org, a Seattle-based non-profit that works to expand participation in computer science education, has released a tutorial that lets you make your own Flappy Bird game. The drag-and-drop tutorial guides you through puzzles to create a custom version of the game, while teaching basic coding concepts at the same time. The tutorial takes about 20 minutes to complete.

Speaking to GeekWire, Code.org co-founder Hadi Partovi says, "We already know that the chance to 'make an app' is something people aspire to, but they think it's out of reach. We want to give kids something that lets them express a degree of creativeness." Code.org's Hour of Code lessons already help teach computer science in short lessons, but none produce a game that can be shared with friends. The tutorial lets you customize your game, letting you change the sounds that happen when hitting the ground or managing to make it through another frustrating pipe. You can even change the bird into a shark, Santa Claus, or Superman. "There are endless possibilities and kids can try them and realize the creativity involved in computer science within just 20 minutes," says Partovi. The tutorial is recommended for ages 6 and up.

The Make Your Own Flappy Bird tutorial was released on February 26 to mark Code.og's one year anniversary. Code.org has used Angry Birds, Frogger, and Plants vs. Zombies to illustrate previous coding lessons. Since it was founded, Code.org has helped over 27 million people in 170 countries write over a billion lines of code. The organization also works to have school districts and legislators recognize the importance of teaching computer science at all grade levels.